AGM (Oct 2024)

Minutes of the Public Meeting held on 24th October 2024 at the King Stag at 7.45pm

• Trustees in attendance: Ms G Gray, Chair of the Trust, 4 other Trustees
• Members of public: 20

1. Mrs Gray reported on how the Trust income had been spent during the year. The major items of expenditure were tree maintenance, emptying the dog poo bins and cutting of the grass in the Picnic and Play area. 
2. Trust Funding. The Trust was set up in 2003 with funding derived from planning consent for Royal Connaught Park and the timber yard on London Road developed for flats. The funding is invested and the income is used to fund the maintenance of the field, principally tree work, maintaining the fences, grass cutting and bin emptying. With careful planning this funding should support the Trust in perpetuity. Income and expenditure over the years is detailed on the Charities Commission website.
3. Antisocial Behaviour. The wooden gate on Grange Road had been damaged on several occasions and it was now planned to replace this gate with a metal accessible gate similar to that installed at The Avenue end of the road. Concern was expressed about one individual who had been dangerously flying drones in the field. Signage in the field had recently been changed to include the banning of antisocial behaviour and that the Trustees have no power to police the field although it is private property. It was stressed that if users of the field feel threatened then they should call the police.
4. The Picnic and Play Area has been well used over the year and the dog free rule is generally well respected although there are still occasions when dogs have been walked into the area. 
5. Friends of Bushey Manor Field. When the Trust was first established it was hoped to establish a Friends group but nothing came of this. Such a group could help maintain hedges and pick up litter. The Trustees would welcome proposals to establish such a group and would welcome discussion with anyone who would like to become a Trustee.
6. Professional Dog Walkers. There are a number of professional dog walkers who use the field regularly. Currently they can bring up to 6 dogs each and there is a tendency for them to meet and walk together. Some people were intimidated by such a large gathering of dogs together and this should be discouraged. There was a proposal to reduce the limit of dogs walked to 4 and a consultation will be started. We will report and discuss this at the next AGM October 2025.

AGM (Oct 2023)

Minutes of the Public Meeting held on 10th October 2023 at Queens’ School at 7.45pm

• Trustees in attendance: Gillian Gray, Peter Davies,
• Members of public: 1

Our Annual Public Meeting was held on 10 th October 2023. We talked about
the way the field is used and how we have new and different users of the field,
than years ago when the trust started. Antisocial behaviour and aggression has
been an issue and it was decided that our signage should be upgraded to
reflect our hopes for everyone enjoying the space provided.

Our costs are increasing greatly with our major costs being bin emptying, grass
cutting and tree surgery. We have to remind our field users that we are a small
charity and not a council park.

Jobs for the winter will be a Holly Hedge up near the old swimming pool,
brambles to be cut back and start some of the tree planting with just a couple
of trees to start and see how they progress.

AOB: There was mention of more holes in the ground but they remain small
but we will keep an eye on these.

The meeting finished at 8.05pm.

The grass has been cut in both the play & picnic area and also the main part of the field.

The Trust’s Chair, Gillian Gray has also been out and about recently, cutting back the foliage around the gates and also ensuring the growth around the fencing remains neat.

A dog attack in Bushey left a woman “fearing they may be attacked too” as her pet was left needing surgery.

Hertfordshire Constabulary have appealed for witnesses and information today (June 5) after a dog was approached and bitten by a larger dog in Bushey
Manor Field, in Finch Lane, at around 12.40pm on May 13.

PC Eryka Morris said: “This attack has caused pain and suffering for the victim’s dog who was just walking in the park. “I want to remind dog owners
that it is down to them to make sure their dog is under control, as the owner of the dog who was bitten was left fearing they may be attacked too.

“Enquiries have been ongoing since the incident was reported to us and we are now looking to trace any witnesses.

“We believe that the dog in question is distinctive in the community, so we are asking for anyone who knows the dog or saw what
happened to contact us.”

Anyone with information can contact PC Morris via email at eryka.morris@herts.police.uk or call 101, quoting crime reference
41/38464/23.

We must remind all dog owners that their dog is their responsibility and should be kept under control at all times.

AGM (Oct 2022)

Woodland Walk –  In October 2022 we welcomed young learners from the Prince’s Trust to the Field.  They cleared foliage in the picnic area and created a new Woodland Walk for families to enjoy, including a bug hotel, bird boxes and secret hideaways.

• Grass cutting
• Fence mending
• Utility work
• Blackberry/raspberry picking and apple seasons
• King Stag monthly dog walk.  Last Sunday of every month at 10.00. Start off your Sunday morning at the King Stag with a tea or coffee on the house and then head off for a leisurely walk across the Attenborough Fields and Merry Hill and Bushey Manor Field.

We realise that many of you worry about holes in the fences when bringing your doggies to Bushey Manor Field.  We will post information here so that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to bring your pooches to Bushey Manor Field at these times.